MACANDOG, ANDREI KRISTOFFER, GARCIA

Article III. Section 1. I. Procedural Due process as applied to A: Judicial proceedings

2. Aspects of the Proceedings

GRAVIDES v COMELEC 685 SCRA 382

FACTS:

Borjal and Gravides both ran for the position of Punong Barangay of Barangay U.P. during the 2010 Barangay
Elections. Results of the elections showed that Gravides garnered a total of 2,322 votes as against Borjal’s 2,320
votes. Barangay Board of Canvassers (BBOC) officially proclaimed Gravides as the winning candidate for the said
post.

Borjal filed an Election Protest, asserting that there is a need for revision, re-appreciation of ballots, judicial recount
and thorough scrutiny of the election returns and minutes of voting in the protested precincts, the results of which
will change the election sufficient to overcome the presumptive lead of the declared winner.

Gravides filed her Answer denying the allegations asserted by Borjal. She pointed out that the protest failed to
provide a detailed specification of the acts or omissions complained of. Such general and sweeping allegations
violate the provisions of A.M. No. 07-4-15-SC.

During the preliminary conference, Gravides moved for the dismissal of the election protest for non-compliance
with Section 4, Rule 9 of A.M.No. 07-4-15-SC as to the contents of the preliminary conference brief. The MeTC
resolved to grant the motion, ordering the dismissal of the election protest.

Borjal appealed the order of dismissal to the COMELEC arguing that the MeTC (1) misinformed him of the
contents of a preliminary conference brief in its Notice of Pre-Trial Conference; (2) prematurely issued such notice,
contrary to the mandate of Section 1, Rule 9 of A.M. No. 07-4- 15-SC; (3) erred in applying the ruling in Cabrera v.
COMELEC considering that the factual circumstances are not foursquare with the present case; and (4) erred in
dismissing the election protest by holding that his Preliminary Conference Brief failed to comply with the required
contents under Section 4, Rule 9 of A.M. No. 07-4-15-SC.

In its Resolution, the COMELEC’s First Division granted the appeal, annulled the order of the MeTC and remanded
the case for further proceedings. COMELEC held that considering Gravides only led by a narrow margin over
Borjal in the said election, “Courts have the prerogative to relax rules of even the most mandatory character,
mindful of the duty to reconcile both the need to speedily end litigation and the parties’ right to due process”.
Gravides filed a motion for reconsideration which was denied by the Commission En Banc.

ISSUE: W/N the COMELEC committed a grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction in
giving the mandatory rules governing the filing of preliminary conference briefs and its required contents under
section 4, rule 9 of a.m. no.07-4-15-sc a liberal construction.

HELD:.NO

Foremost of these is the fact that Borjal was misled by the Notice of Preliminary Conference issued by the MeTC
which erroneously applied the provision on pre-trial brief under the Rules of Civil Procedure. The mistake
committed by Borjal’s counsel in complying with the court’s directive should not prejudice his cause, as no
intent to unduly prolong the resolution of the election protest can be gleaned from his actions.

As COMELEC duly noted, the finding of just more than 2 misread or miscounted ballots during the revision or
recount would be sufficient to overcome the lead of Gravides. The paramount interest of determining the true will of
the electorate thus justified a relaxation of procedural rules. Indeed, an election protest is imbued with public interest
so much so that the need to dispel uncertainties which becloud the real choice of the people is imperative.